Machine for processing wood pulp and the like



April 10, 1962 J. T. COGHlLL 3,028,633

MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WOOD PULP AND THE LIKE Filed April 16, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. muss r. COG/{ILL BY l/ E i A TTDRNEY K A ril 1 1962 p 0, J T. COGHILL 3,028,633

MACHINE FOR PROCESSING woon PULP AND THE LIKE Filed April 16, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. JAMES l' 00Gll/LL ATTORNEY April 10, 1962 J. T. COGHILL MACHINE FOR PROCESSING W000 PULP AND THE LIKE Filed April 16, 1958' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JAMES 7. COGH/LL ITTDRUEY ited States Patent fl ice 3,028,633 Patented Apr. 10, 1962 3,028,633 MACHINE FOR PRGCESSING WOOD PULP AND THE LIKE James T. Coghill, Pittsford, N.Y., assignor to Curlator Corporation, East Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 16, 1958, Ser. No. 728,892 4 Claims. (Cl. 19-66) The present invention relates to machines for processing fibrous material and particularly to machines for processing wood pulp for making paper. Ina more specific aspect, the invention relates to machines of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 697,166, filed November 18, 1957, for mechanically processing wood pulp according to the method disclosed in the Hill and Edwards Patent No. 2,516,384, granted July 25, 1950.

In the machine of my copending application above mentioned, the pulp, which is to be treated, is rolled traversingly in tractive contact with and under compression between two opposed working surfaces that are knurled to provide the required traction. In this machine both working surfaces rotate. However, only one, that attached to the herein called driving plate, is driven positively. The other, that attached to the herein called floating plate, rotates because the pulp between the working surfaces acts to transmit the motion of the driving plate to the floating plate. Both working surfaces, therefore, rotate in the same direction. The axes of the two working surfaces are offset from one another, so as to achieve a relative gyratory or orbital motion of the working surfaces, and the floating plate is pressed toward the driving plate under a regulatable pressure so it is free to float axially toward and from the driving plate responsive to the balance of forces between the pulp and the pressure, thereby to effect the Curling roll of the pulp between the working surfaces.

In the machine of my prior application mentioned, control of the rotational speed of the floating plate is attained by tilting the floating plate relative to the driving plate. The direction of tilt, and the amount of tilt control the relative speeds of the two plates. By tilting the floating plate in one direction about the axis of tilt, the floating plate can be made to run faster than the driving plate. If the floating plate is tilted in the opposite direction, the floating plate will run slower than the driving plate.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means for visually indicating the relative speeds of the two plates so that the operator will be able to make the desired adjustment for tilt.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for visually indicating the relative speeds of the two plates, which will be relatively simple in construction and operation, and which can be app-lied in a machine built according to my copending application above mentioned without altering the working mechanism of that machine.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a part side elevation, part vertical longitudinal section through a machine of the type described in my copending application above mentioned, which is provided with indicating means constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of this machine, looking at the floating plate end of the machine; and

FIG. 3 is a part side elevation, part sectional view showing the indicator and the means at the floating plate end of the machine for actuating the indicator.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, 10 denotes the base of the machine. Upon this is mounted a frame 11. Secured in the frame 11 is an annular bracket 14, in which a sleeve 16 is journaled by means of antifriction bearings 15. Secured to this sleeve 16 is the driving plate 20 or" the machine; and fastened to the front face of the driving plate are a plurality of concentric rings 22. These rings have knurled plates 24 secured on their front faces which have tiny projections or protuberances projecting into the working space of the machine. Together the knurled plates 24 constitute one working surface of the machine.

The floating plate of the machine is denoted at 25. It carries a plurality of rings 27 to which are secured plates 28, similar to plates 24, which have tiny protuberances 0r projections thereon opposed to the projections 01' protuberances of plates 24- and extending into the working space of the machine. The plates 28 together constitute the other working surface of the machine. The stock to be treated is fed into the space between the working surfaces; and the pulp is rolled tractively in contact with, between and over the opposed working surfaces in the operation of the machine. I,

The two plates 20 and 25 are shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings in axial alignment. In actual use, however, the axis of plate 25 wold be offset from, that is, eccentric to the axis of plate 20, and plate 25 would also be tilted relative to plate 20 as described in more detail in my patent application Serial No. 697,166 above-mentioned.

The plate 25 is secured to a sleeve member 29 which is journaled on antifriction bearings 30 in a floating housing 31. The floating housing is supported in a frame 33 by means of links, two of which are denoted at 35. These links are mounted at opposite ends on ball members 37 to permit tilting adjustment of the floating plate.

The working surfaces are surrounded by two ringshaped casings 40 and 41 which can be secured together to enclose the working area of the machine.

The drive plate 20 is driven from a motor not shown through a shaft 42, a pulley 44, multiple V-belts 46, and

a pulley 48 which is fastened to the sleeve 16. A second, smaller pulley 50 is secured to the sleeve 16. This pulley drives a countershaft 52 through a belt 54 and a pulley 53. The pulley 56 on shaft 52 drives the feed screw of the machine (not shown) through the belt 58. Feed of the stock into the working space is under the control of a plunger 47 and a limit switch 49. The floating plate or disc 25 is urged under regulatable pressure toward the driving plate or disc 20 by hydraulic pressure applied to a piston (not shown) which is reciprocable in cylinder 51 (FIG. 1). a

All of the above described structure is disclosed in my copending application above-mentioned; and reference may be had to that application for a more detailed description of this structure. The new feature covered by the present application is the means for indicating the relative rotational speed of the two plates 20 and 25. This comprises a pair of electrical Selsyn units 60' (FIG. 1) and 61 (FIG. 3). The Selsyn unit 60 is driven by the countershaft 52 in time with the rotation of the drive plate 20. It drives the Selsyn unit 61 in synchronism with it through a conventional electrical connection. A pair of Selsyn units is exactly the same as a flexible shaft. One unit turns exactly at the same speed as the other.

The Selsyn unit 60 is mounted on a bracket 62 which is secured on the base 10 of the machine. This bracket 62 also carries the bearings for the countershaft 52.

The Selsyn unit 61 (FIG. 3) is mounted on the bracket 63 which is secured to the floating housing 31 of the machine. It is connected by a flexible coupling 65 to a shaft 67 which is journaled at one end by means of a bushing 69 in a. sleeve or spindle 71. This sleeve or spindle 71 is mounted in bearings 73 in a housing 75 which is secured by means of bolts 77 to the bracket 63.

The shaft 67 extends through the side gears 79 and 81 and through the spider 87 of a conventional bevel gear differential. It is journaled by means of a bushing 83 in the side gear 79; and it is secured by means of a set-screw 85 to the side gear 81. The shaft 67 and side gear 81 of the differential, therefore, are driven in time with the driving plate it). In the embodiment shown, the side gears 79 and 81 are bevel miter gears. The spider 87 has two radially projecting pins 39 on which are journaled the miter gears 91 whichmesh with the side gears 79 and 81 of the differential.

The side gear 79 is keyed to the sleeve 71. Keyed to this sleeve 71, also, is a pulley 93. This pulley is driven from the sleeve 29 (FIG. 1), to which the floating plate 25 is secured, by a pulley 95 and internally toothed belt 97 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The sleeve 71 and the side gear 79 of the differential are, therefore, driven in time with the floating plate 2'5. The Selsyn units are connected electrically, however, so that the side gears 79 and 81 rotate in opposite directions. The pulleys 95 and 93 are selected to provide the same reduction as'between the pulleys t) and 53, so that, if there were no difference in the relative speeds of rotation of plates 26 and 25, there would be no rotation of differential spider 39.

A pulley 93 is secured to the sleeve or spindle 71 by a nut 99 which threads onto the sleeve or spindle. A nut 131, which threads onto the sleeve or spindle at the opposite end from the nut 99, serves to hold the bearings 73 properly positioned on the sleeve or spindle.

Secured to the outermost ends of the pins 89 of the spider is a strap 1&5 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The differential is enclosed in a guard 107 which is secured to a collar 169 that is fastened by means of bolts 111 to the housing 75. The outer end of the guard 107 is closed by a window 113, which may be made of glass or plastic. The rotation of the strap MS can be observed through this window. The strap 165 may have a hole 115 in it just to permit easy distinction of one end of the strap from the other, so that the revolutions of the strap can be counted readily when the machine is in operation.

If the discs or plates 2i and 25 are rotating at exactly the same speed, the strap or clip Hi5 will stand still. If the floating disc or plate 25 runs slower or faster than the driving plate 20 the strap or clip 105 will turn clockwise, or counterclockwise, respectively, as viewed in FIG. 2, at a speed of half the difference of the rpm. of the gears 79 and 31. 7

To determine the speed of rotation of the floating plate 25, the operator counts the number of revolutions per minute of the clip or strap 165, and notes the direction of its rotation. Since the driving plate 20 is positively driven, and its r.p.m. is known, by adding or subtracting the rpm. of the clip or strap 105, depending upon the direction of rotation of this clip or strap, the rpm. of the floating plate or disc 25 can be determined; and adjustrnent of tilt of the plate or disc 25 can be made, if it is not rotating at the proper speed.

While the invention has been described in connection with means for visually indicating the relative speeds of the two plates by use of two Selsyn units, it will be understood that other means might also be employed for this purpose. Thus, for instance, a stroboscopic unit might be used, instead by, for example, mounting a light on the base of the machine behind a hole in the driving plate 29, or some part rotating in time with the driving plate, and noting the apparent relative movement of a series of bolts, or other reflecting parts secured to the floating plate or disc of the machine in equiangularly spaced relation about the axis of the floating plate or disc.

It will be understood, therefore, that while the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it is capable of further modification, and this'application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention, and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim is:

1. A machine for processing a work material comprising a pair of rotary working plates having opposed working surfaces disposed to form between them a thin working space, and means for indicating the difference in speeds of rotation of the two plates comprising a pair of electrical Selsyn units connected together to rotate in synchronism, means for driving one of said Selsyn units in time with one of said plates, a differential having three rotary elements, means for driving one rotary element of said differential from the other Selsyn unit, means for driving another rotary element of said differential in time 'With the other of said plates, and means connected to the third rotary element of the differential for indicating rotation of said third element.

2. in a machine for processing a work material wherein a pair of rotary working plates having opposed working surfaces are disposed to form between them a thin working space, wherein means is provided for rotating one of said plates to drive the other plate solely through the work material engaged between the two plates, and wherein means is provided for mounting one of said plates for tiltable adjustment relative to the other plate thereby to control the relative speeds of rotation of the two plates, the combination with said plate means for indicating the difference in speeds of rotation of the two plates comprising a pair of electrical Selsyn units connected together to rotate in synchronism, means for driving one of said Selsyn units in time with one of said plates, a differential having three rotary elements, means for driving one rotary element of said differential from the other Selsyn unit, means for driving another rotary element of the differential in time with the other of said plates, and means connected to the third rotary element of the differential for indicating rotation of said third element.

3. In a machine for processing wood pulp having a pair of rotary plates which have opposed working surfaces that are disposed to form between them a thin working space, and that have tiny protuberances thereon which extend into the working space to engage the pulp and to roll the pulp traversingly in tractive contact with the surfaces, and wherein one of said working plates is mounted for adjustment to offset the axis of rotation from the axis of the other plate, means is provided for urging one of the plates continuously toward the other to engage the pulp under pressure, means is provided for rotating one of said plates to drive the other plate in the same direction through the pulp engaged between the working surfaces, and one of the plates is mounted for tilting adjustment relative to the other plate to incline the working surfaces relative to one another thereby to vary the relative rates of speed of rotation of the two plates, the improvement comprising means for indicating the relative speeds of rotation of the two plates in order to permit adjustment of the tiltable plate to be made accurately to obtain the desired relative speeds of the plates, said indicating means comprising a pair of members one of which is connected at least to one of said plates to be driven in time therewith.

5 6 4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the other 1,719,784 Ross July 2, 1929 member of said indicating means is connected to the other 2,589,307 Symons Mar. 18, 1952 plate to be driven in time therewith, and means is provided for indicating the differences in speed of rotation Q PATENTS of the two members 5 Great rltaln ec- OTHER REFERENCES 7 References cued m the file of thls Patent Electric Motors in Industry, Shoults et a1., John Wiley UNITED STATES PATENTS and Sons Inc., New York, 1942, page 168. (Copy in 1,058,114 Symons Apr. 8, 1913 Division 26.) 

